Days Reserved for Special Business in the House

April 7, 2004 –
April 7, 2010
98-142

As presented in the following table and described below, several provisions in the rules of the House provide for certain types of business to be privileged for consideration on specified days, some under special procedures. For more information on legislative process, see http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/guidehome.shtml.

Days Reserved for Special Business in the House

April 7, 2010
(98-142)

As presented in the following table and described below, several provisions in the rules of the House provide for certain types of business to be privileged for consideration on specified days, some under special procedures. For more information on legislative process, see /analysis/pages/congressionaloperations.aspx.

Table 1. Days Reserved for Special Business

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Every Monday:Motions to suspend the rules

Every Tuesday:Motions to suspend the rules

Every Wednesday:Motions to suspend the rules

Call of Committees under the Calendar Wednesday procedure

Second and Fourth Mondays:Motions to discharge committees

Consideration of District of Columbia business

First and Third Tuesdays:Consideration of measures on the Private Calendar

Motions to suspend the rules are in order every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (Rule XV, clause 1). A suspension motion may be debated for 40 minutes (equally divided between a proponent and opponent), may not be amended from the floor, and must pass by a vote of two-thirds of those present and voting. In addition, the suspension procedure effectively waives all rules of the House that would prevent consideration of a measure, so that no points of order may be raised against a measure being considered under suspension. House rules place no formal restrictions on the types of measures that may be considered under suspension, but party rules effectively restrict the procedure to use in considering relatively noncontroversial measures.

Motions to discharge committees (for measures that have been placed on the Discharge Calendar after securing signatures from a majority of Representatives (218 with no vacancies) on a discharge petition) are in order on the second and fourth Mondays of each month (Rule XV, clause 2). If a discharge motion is successful, the measure may be considered in the House or the Committee of the Whole, as appropriate.

Consideration of District of Columbia business (for measures on either the House or Union Calendar) is privileged on the second and fourth Mondays of each month (Rule XV, clause 4), and could occur in the House or the Committee of the Whole, as appropriate. This privilege is rarely used in modern practice.

Consideration of measures on the Private Calendar is privileged on the first and third Tuesdays of each month (Rule XV, clause 5). Private bills are those of a private, rather than public, nature (i.e., they apply only to specified individuals, corporations, or other entities). Measures called up from the Private Calendar are normally passed by unanimous consent. However, if two or more Members object to the measure, it is recommitted to the committee that reported it. The Speaker is required to direct the clerk to call measures on the Private Calendar on the first Tuesday, but consideration on the third Tuesday is discretionary. Consideration of measures on the Private Calendar may also be dispensed with by two-thirds vote.

The Call of Committees under the Calendar Wednesday procedure is privileged every Wednesday (Rule XV, clause 6). Any measure not otherwise privileged would be eligible for consideration in the House or the Committee of the Whole, as appropriate, under this procedure. However, under modern practice the procedure is routinely waived by unanimous consent.